Container cover



Nov. 3, 1953 R. o. SIMPSON 2,657,822

CONTAINER COVER Filed oct. 51, 195o f V/l/l//l//l/l//l/ A IN l "EN TOR.

705295,7- 0. S/MPso/v,

AT' TO i? N EYS.

patented Nov. 3, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTAINER. COVER Robert O. Simpson, Cincinnati, Ohio Application October 31, 1950, Serial No. 193,065

s claims. l

My invention relates to a cover for a container or box which may be easily opened and closed by the application of pressure on the cover or lid.

A box to which my cover is particularly applicable is a small box which may be carried in the pocket for storing small articles, such as pills and the like and wherein it is desirable to provide a box having a cover which remains closed, but which may be easily opened when desirable. It is also desirable that such a box be pleasing in appearance, relatively inexpensive to construct, and of a novel mechanical construction.

It is an object of my invention to provide a box having a cover which when in the closed position is difficult to tell from the stationary walls. so that the general appearance is of a box without any cover or means of opening the box. A `further object of my invention is to provide a box which has a cover which is tightly held in closed position but may be easily and quickly opened by the pressure of the iingers on the cover portion.

Another object of my invention is to provide a box as described above which may, be `easily constructed of transparent material such as any of the well-known transparent plastics so that the contents of the box may be easily inspected. However, I do not intend to limit myself to a box formed of plastic material or transparent or translucent material in whole or in part, since, as will be apparent, my box may be constructed of wood, metal, or any one of a number of materials.

Another object of my invention is to provide a box with my novel cover which permits a, partition within the box so that two unrelated articles may be placed in the box and the desired article removed therefrom without the danger of commingling the contents of the box itself.

A further object of my invention is to provide a box with my no-vel cover which may be easily and inexpensively manufactured, but is very pleasing in appearance, compact in conguration, and practical as a pocket piece, such as a pill box.

These and other objects of my invention which will be set forth hereinafter or will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon reading these speciflcations, I accomplish by that certain construction and arrangement of parts of which I shall now describe an exemplary embodiment. Y Reference is now made to the drawings which form a part thereof and in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my novel box and cover.

Figure 2 is a side elevation oi the box shownln Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the box shown in Figures l and 2.

Figure 4 is a cross section of the box shown in Figure 3 taken on the section line 4 4, but with the cover portion in open position.

Figure 5 is a cross section of my novel box similar to the cross section shown in Figure 4 but containing a partition.

Figure 6 is a modification of my box and cover in cross section with the cover in closed position and shown in open position in broken lines.

Figure 7 is a modification of my box and cover in cross section with the cover in ropen position.

Brieny, in the practice of my invention, I provide a box including two parallel side walls and two end walls. A cover is positioned between the side walls and the end walls and is pivoted to the side Walls so the cover may be swung in a plane parallel with the side walls. The upper, inner edges of the end walls contain apertures or grooves which receive the ends of the cover when in closed position and hold it in closed position. At least the upper portion of the end walls are free from the side walls so they may be sprung outwardly and hence permit the removal of the ends of the cover from the depressions in the end walls 'by the force of pivoting the cover.

As a modification, I provide a partition between the side walls directly below the pivot point of the cover so that the portion of the cover entering the box when it is in open position will clear the partition during an appreciable part of its movement. As a further mcdication, I oiset the pivot point of the cover so that in open position it may be swung parallel to the partition. while in a. further modification, I form the partition of relatively thin resilient material and leave the top portion of the partition free from the side walls so it may bend readily when contacted by any portion of the cover when in open position.

In. the drawings and in this description, I will describe a box primarily for use in carrying pills or the like in the pocket and which is preferably formed oi a transparent plastic. However, as stated above, I do not intend to limit myself to the material from which my box is formed, nor the configuration or dimensions of the box, since my invention is adaptable for use in containers of all kinds of ymaterial and different variations and sizes.

Referringv to the drawings, I provide a box formed of side walls I and 2 and end walls 3 and 4. I- also provide a bottom wall 5 as is shown in the drawings.

The cover 6 is preferably positioned `between,

the side walls I and 2 and the end walls 3 and 4. There is an indentation such as a ridge 1 in the end walls 3 and 4, and the ends of the cover Il terminate in a wedge shaped or chamfered portion 8 which ts easily within the indentations 1. The indentations 1, as well as the ends 8 are so configured that upon pivoting of the cover 6, the ends 8 force the ends of the side walls 3 and 4 outwardly against the resilience of the material and permit the opening of the box as shown in Figure 4.

I provide pivoting means associated with the cover 6 and the side walls I and 2 such as a pintle 9 which is journaled in the side walls I and 2 and pierces the material in the cover 6. While I have shown pivot means comprising a pintle as described, other pivoting means may be used such as individual pins fastened in the side walls I and 2 and projecting into the cover portion 6 or boxes may be provided projecting from the cover portion 6 and journaled in apertures in the side walls I and 2. From this, it is apparent that I do not intend to limit myself to the specific pivoting means.

The upper portion of the side walls 4 and 5 are free from the side walls I and 2, as at IIJ. while the lower portion of the side walls 3 and 4 is preferably fastened to the side walls I and 2 as well as the bottom 5. By freeing the end walls 3 and 4 from the side walls I and 2 at I0, the upper ends of the side walls 3 and 4 may be sprung outwardly against their inherent resilience as shown by the broken lines in Figure 2 when the cover 6 is pressed with the fingers, permitting the ends 8 of the cover 6 to slip out of the indentations 1. While I have shown the indentations 'I as a groove or ridge, it is within the contemplation of my invention to provide indentations `I of different configurations such as a single hollow with a projecting button on the ends 8 of the cover B which is received and held by the depressions when the cover is closed. I do not intend to limit myself to the indentations being in the walls with the projection or button being on the end of the cover 8, since this arrangement may be reversed with the indentations on the end of the cover.

From the above, it is apparent that the box, when closed, presents a very uniform appearance and it is dilicult to determine how it is opened, since the cover looks like any other wall of the box. However, by depressing the cover 6 with the nger near either endy the ends 8 snap out of depressions 'I and the portion of the cover being pressed enters into the interior of the box, while the opposite end moves outwardly, thus permitting removal of the contents.

In Figure 5, I have shown a modification wherein I have included an upstanding partition wall II. The partition wall II is preferably fastened to the side walls I and 2 and its upper end is positioned below the pintle S. The upper edge or" the partition wall II is chamfered as shown and is spaced sufiiciently below the pintle point 9 as to permit the cover 6 to be swung inwardly as shown in the figure.

In Figure 6, the pintle point El is spaced below the cover 8 and mounted thereto either in a shoulder or projecting portion I2.l In this case, the pintle S is spaced from the lower surface of the cover 6 a distance at least half the thickness of the partition wall I I so that when the cover 6 is swung into its open position, as shown in Figure 6 in broken lines, it is substantially parallel to the wall I I.

In Figure 7, I have shown another modification wherein the partition II terminates in a portion I3 which is free from the side walls I and 2. In this case, the partition II is formed of relatively thin resilient material, so that when the cover 6 is in its open position, the portion I3 of the partition I I will bend and give and permit the further pivoting and opening of the cover 6.

While I have shown the end walls 3 and 4 embraced within the side walls I and 2, it is to be understood that I am not limited to this construction, since the side walls I and 2 may be embraced within the end walls 3 and 4 and the free portion IIJ may be provided at the contacting surface between the face of the end walls 3 and 4 and the ends of the end walls I and 2.

From the above, it is apparent that I have provided a container or box having a cover which is tightly held in closed position, but which may be easily and quickly opened by pressure of the fingers on the cover. It is also apparent that I have provided a box of pleasing and interesting appearance, since the cover when in closed position is hidden to the casual observer. My novel box and cover may be easily and cheaply constructed and hence marketed and sold at a very reasonable cost.

It is also apparent that I have provided a box with all of the advantages set forth above and which may have a partition so that different materials may be placed Within the box and prevented from coinmingling when the box is closed.

It is to be understood that modification may be made in my invention without departing from the spirit thereof and I do not intend to limit myself otherwise than as pointed out in the claims which follow:

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a box having two side walls and two end walls, a cover positioned between said side walls and said end walls, pivoting means associated with said side walls and said cover and located between said cover ends so the cover may be pivoted in a plane parallel to said side walls and latching means for said cover comprising an indentation in at least one end wall receiving an end of said cover, at least a portion of said end wall carrying said indentation being free from said side walls so that it may be sprung outwardly by pressure exerted on the cover to permit a cover end to move out of said indentation and open the box, and a partition between said side walls terminating directly below said pivoting means, and having at least its upper end free from said side walls so it may be fixed when said cover is swung on said pivoting means and comes in contact with said partition end.

2. In a box having two side walls and two end walls, a cover positioned between said side walls and said end walls, pivoting means associated with said side walls and said cover and located between said cover ends so the cover may be pivoted in a plane parallel to said side walls and latching means for said cover comprising an indentation in at least one end wall receiving an end of said cover, at least a portion of said end wall carrying said indentation being free from said side walls so that it may be sprung outwardly by pressure exerted on the cover to permit a cover end to move out of said indentation and open the box, and a partition between said side walls and terminating directly below said pivoting means, said pivoting means comprising a pintle journaled in said side walls and piercing a downwardly projecting shoulder on said cover at a distance from said cover at least one half the thickness of said partition, so that said cover may be swung parallel to said partition when opened.

3. In a box having two side walls and two end walls, a cover positioned between said side walls and said end walls, pivoting means associated with said side walls and said cover and located substantially mid-way between the ends of said cover so that the cover may be pivoted in a plane parallel to said side walls by exerting pressure on either of said cover ends, and latching means between a said cover end and a said end wall comprising an indentation in one and a projection on the other, at least a portion of said end wall carrying said latching means being free from said side walls so that it may be sprung outwardly by pressure exerted on one of said cover ends to unlatch the cover and end wall and to permit that cover end on which the pressure is exerted to move to a position within the connes of the side and end walls of the box to open said box.

4. The device of claim 3 in which the said indentation is in a said end wall and in which the said projection is formed integral with a said cover end.

5. The device of claim 3 including a partition joining the said side walls and terminating directly below said pivoting means.

6. The device of claim 5 in which each of said end walls is provided with a said indentation, and in which there is a said projection formed integral with each of said cover ends.

ROBERT O. SIMPSON.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 140,689 Elder July 8, 1873 320,814 Pollard June 23, 1885 323,027 Ducker July 28, 1885 358,450 Hurlbut Mar. 1, 1887 691,183 Schaer Jan. 14, 1902 1,540,285 Reynolds June 2, 1925 1,941,458 Bens Jan. 2, 1934 1,993,417 Smith Mar. 5, 1935 2,203,960 Hickman June 11, 1940 2,257,142 Weiner Sept. 30, 1941 2,461,711 Wewetzer Feb. 15, 1949 2,491,264 Hermani Dec. 13, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 15,003 Great Britain of 1899 

